Killington Board Race, New Budgets on Tap

Vermont Standard

2/23/17 

By Curt Peterson

Standard Correspondent

Killington – Killington’s Town Meeting process spreads over two days. The information meeting and vote on the Killington Elementary School 2017-2018 budget will take place at the school at 4:30 p.m. on Monday, March 6. The town government information meeting is also at the school on Monday, March 6, and starts at 7 p.m. At that time votes will be taken on the issues listed in the Town Meeting Warning.

On Tuesday, March 7, the polls at the Town Offices on River Road are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. to vote via Australian ballot for candidates.

Article 1 of the Town Warning lists the offices up for election. Only one election is contested this year – Selectman Ken Lee’s re-election bid is challenged by Jim Haff. Haff has run unsuccessfully in the past against both Chris Bianchi and Patty McGrath for their seats on the Select Board.

In Article 2, voters will be asked to approve reducing the number of property tax installment payments from 4 to 3. If approved, the new payments will be due Aug. 15, Nov. 15 and Feb. 15. The current 10-day grace period will continue with the 3-payment plan – if tax bills are paid within 10 days of the due date no interest or penalties will be charged – after the 10 days extra fees are charged retroactively.

Article 3 asks voters to approve the proposed 2018 fiscal year budget, in which total expenditures would be $4,508,505. A sum of $179,000 will be applied from the previous budget, $2,829,605 will be raised from property taxes and $1,499,900 from non-property tax revenue.

This is an increase of $353,166 over last year’s budgeted expenses. Selectmen estimate the 2018 non-school tax rate to be $.3623, which would be a $.0289 increase over the 2017 $.3334 rate.

The proposed budget includes the much-discussed $100,000 commitment to support a 2018 FIS Women’s World Cup Ski Race event, should one be staged in Killington. According to Town Manager Deb Schwartz, this line item accounts for $.0133 of the $.029 increase in the new proposed tax rate.

Other drivers of the increase, according to Schwartz, are the addition of a full-time office assistant and a significant increase in property/casualty insurance premiums.

Voters will also be asked to rescind the 1 percent retail sales tax portion of the Killington Options Tax on meals, alcohol and accommodations. The tax would continue during the 2017-2018 budget year if Article 4 is approved, but disappear as of July 1 2018.

A special meeting was held to add Article 7, inspired by a petition to change from the Australian ballot system for approving the Town Articles back to the traditional voice vote system. The petition was circulated and signatures solicited by M. B. Neisner, who is running unopposed for Town Moderator.